Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-10-26
AWKWARD WOMAN.
or, A slave 20 Passion.


rather than liked her, though she va!
lovely as a Wild rose.
Only John Randolph, . young farme
NJ the neighborhOod, came often To se'
her, and would have married her haf
the girl been willing Old Ma'au
LOviCy herself was inclined 70 favor IN
suit, for he brought her tobacco for hel
pipe and tea. and was more friendly e
her than any one had ever BEEN
But Prgs;s would have none Of him,
She liked his attentions, but the idea
II settling down 10 quiet married life
was not to her taste.
One dav, however, as Nam LOvicy
was going to the spring for water she
came upon "a strange scene Beneath
The shadows of an OverhaugIng willow
stood Persis. and with her was a man
who WAS lust In the act of kissing her
100 willing lips. Then, after n few
moments, they separated with many
words Of endcarmeut.
He was gone, and Persis turned tC
face her mother, who stood for mo-
ment IiyII and silent with fury, then
burst forth in a storm Of yituperation
and accusation. going far beyond the
ruth and making certain the lnfamy
size prophesied, for as she StOrmed the
girls face grew hard and sullen, and
aue swift side glance, shot in the direc-
lion Duke had taken, showed but too
plainly the road her mind was travel
ing.
She silently turned toward the house,
he mother following, her anger grow
ny fercer BY the others silence, until
- they at last stood IN the rude Kitchen
which with a bedroom and a loft made
al. d In
sd Il dog whip from its nail beside the
fireplace and with word OF deadllest
insult raised it above her head. PersiS
lifted her hand and an omInous glow
lighted her dark eyes
stop there, mother, - said she, quiet
v. IF that whip touches me We shall
both be sorryl'
"Sorry, III make you sorry. shout
ed AIa'am LOvicy, and the whip fell
upOn the girls pale cheek, cutting a
great purple wheaI with little drops Of
blood starting from the surface.
Persis uttered no cry or word, only
stood one moment looking full in her
mothers face, q look the poor woman
never forgot, for with all her Wild
beast rage she had a wild-beast love for
her child, and then she climbed the lad
ler-like stairs in the corner of the room
and was seen no more.
From that time Na'am Lovicy was
changed woman. She gave up her work
Of hunting for herbs IN the woods and
never came any more 10 the village
grocery stores for supplies. What sine
lived on no one could imagine
The town authorities decided that
she had better he taken 10 the village
poor-hOuse and the uyerSeer sent up
some of his men 90 bring her down by
force If necessary. John Randolph
came with them % try and persuade
her 10 90. lie finally proposed, rs she
would not GO, that woman who should
come and live IA the cottage and keep
matters comfortable, promising also To
see that food and firing should be pro-
vided for both
But at this proposal the old woman
raised her head, and liking her snaky
eyes upon the face of the speaker, slow
~ said:
"Just So sure as any woman comes
inside that door, thinking to take the
place of one that's gone, Just 80 sure / II
straugle her with these ten fingersi'
Then matters must take their
,oursel' said Randolph s.u.iy, and step
ping TO the door nodded 10 the men
" no impatIeutly waited Just outside,
but as these entered the cabin the old
woman rose to her majestic height,
raising her head with the majestic bear
ing of a queen and sternly demand
ing:
What do you want in my house,
meuY''
I'VE want YOU, Ma'am Lovicy," re-
Piled Timmius, with an effort at care
less frIeudliuess of tone and manner.
''It amt safe for YOU to stay up here
all alone, coming on Winter so, and
Deacon IOlCom he's sent up his ker-
ridge and a lot of buffalO-robes and
blanket to give you = nice warm ride
into the village, and he wants you to
come and stop at his house till Spring,
OF as long rs YOU like
''Go home ana tell your master |
wont comel And before YOU come
again on such an errand so back in the
woods 4 piece and invite one of the she
bears you'll find there to go and ride
with you. When you've got her an
swer come here and I'll give you mine. "
'We'll Just have TO take her, whether
or no, meuI' said Timmins, aside, and
with nod of intelligence the two step
ped forward, warIly and not urgently,
but Ma'am LOyICy understood their
purpose. and retreating to the hearth
she uplifted both her hands and cursed
the intruders should they dare approach
one inch nearer; cursed them in this
world and the next, III body and soul,
ut home and abroad, in their own per-
sons and in their nearest of kin, called
down an instant and horrible death
upon their heads and promised endless
torments hereafter.
Unable TO bear the sight and sure that
the men would exercise all the gentle
ness and fOrbearance possible, Randolph
mounted and rode away.
The next morning bright and early he
repaired to the village poorhouse to see
how she had spent the night. To his
alarm he found that during the night
she had escaped, just where no one
knew. He at once rode back to her hut
and found her sitting 10y the cold fire
place, her head bowed in her hands
She was dead. lie stood regarding her
with sad eyes.
The plunging of a horse, the jingle OF
sleigh-bells outside broke in upon hi.
reyerle. GlauciuS through the open
door he saw u light sleigh, drawn 10y
two dripping horses, and the driver al
ready blIuketing them. Somebody
springing lightly from the vehicle in,
side the door confronted him.
y woman richly and warmly dressed,
a woman who, half laughing, threw VI
her veil and disclosed a dark, bright
face, whose beauty, heightened by the
frosty air and excitement, seemed tc
fill the dusky room with glow and
warmth; a woman in the prime OF
womau'S richest maturity woman Il
whom John Randolph had given all his
life's love, and from whom he shrunk
in loathIug.
She approached the silent figure, re.
moved the covering and, SeiZing heI
arm, laid her warm, white fingers upon
the gray cheek, not like stone, not like
ice, although we lken it to both, but
harder and colder than either, for it is
the touch of death, once felt, never tC
be forgotten.
One wild shrek rang through tn,
room, and Persis sank insensible at hel
mothers feet.
Folding his arms Randolph stood and
looked down ut her with cold and pitt
less eyes until he saw her about to re.